Marie Curie has released an end-of-life playlist curated by terminally ill people for the end of life. Ranging from upbeat dance tracks to calming melodies, each piece on the Spotify playlist was chosen to feature on someone’s personal ‘end of life playlist’.
Music therapy expert, Lecturer, and Honorary Marie Curie Senior Research Fellow at Queen’s University Belfast, Dr Tracey McConnell, says:
“Terminal illness, pain, and the fear of dying can result in feelings of powerlessness and isolation, even with close family and friends. Music therapy can help people express their feelings and make them feel better, whatever their health or emotional situation. The evidence for music therapy ties in with how people tend to feel about music in general. We all relate to music, because it connects us with what it means to be human. Our bodies work to rhythms – everything from our heartbeat to our sleep patterns. Songs can evoke powerful memories. Sometimes, when something is impossible to express in words, music helps people “talk” about how they’re feeling.”
The playlist features 29 songs, including:
- I Will Always Love You – Whitney Houston
- My Way – Frank Sinatra
- The Best – Tina Turner
- Over the Rainbow – Judy Garland
- Girls Just Want to Have Fun – Cyndi Lauper
- Angels – Robbie Williams
- Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong
- Beautiful – Christina Aguilera
- Hey Jude – The Beatles
- These are the Days of our Lives – Queen
Stream and download the playlist on Spotify here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3GcCsVnT7n26GBDpYtRHhV?si=F2Rc-m4oTe6ITvujxUcfGQ